What Are You Making Now?
by SilverCat63
Summary: Jack the Knitter strikes again! A series of drabbles where Ianto wonders what Jack is making now. New drabble chapter every week! Christmas countdown fic.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **Hi everybody! I've decided to continue with my Jack the Knitter theme here. So you can (hopefully) expect a drabble a week added as a new chapter to this story. Anyway, this is the sequel to "Um, Jack?" and "Real Men" and yeah, it does kinda help to read those first. Enjoy!

* * *

"What are you making now?" Ianto asked, with some trepidation, as he set Jack's striped mug on his desk and perched beside it.

Jack barely glanced up from his latest knitting project. His lips moved silently as his fingers flew over the dark green yarn on his needles. Whatever it was, Ianto noted, it looked larger and more complex than anything he had seen Jack make yet.

A moment later and Jack looked up, treating Ianto to the same sly smile that had accompanied the fuzzy handcuffs a few weeks ago. "You'll see," was all Jack would say.

* * *

Does anyone want to know about the fuzzy handcuffs? Do I sense a story here? What do you think?


	2. Chapter 1 Unravelling

**Disclaimer:** Just in case you didn't know, this (Torchwood, Captain Jack, and Ianto – take your pick) does't belong to me. They belong to Russel T. Davies and the BBC and probably some others whose names I do not know. I'm borrowing the boys and will return the same condition I found them in.

**Author's Note:** Forgive me, but I couldn't resist a little projection here. I'm always messing up with gauge or misreading the pattern so I thought I'd give the great Captain Jack Harkness a similar flaw.

* * *

Ianto carried two mugs of coffee up to Jack's office, stifling a yawn with his arm as he stumbled up the stairs. Despite what the team might think, Ianto wasn't a morning person. It didn't help that he and Jack had been up late last night.

Jack, of course, didn't show it. He was sitting behind his desk, as usual, with his knitting, which had become usual. What struck Ianto as unusual was the large pile of kinky, curly yarn on Jack's desk. He was unravelling his work, making the large rectangle disintegrate before Ianto's eyes. He was also muttering what sounded like curses under his breath and barely stopped to snatch the fresh coffee from Ianto.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he flopped in a chair with his own mug of life giving liquid.

"I screwed up."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. I didn't follow the pattern closely enough," Jack grumbled between gulps. "And I got my gauge wrong."

Ianto nodded sagely, hiding his smile in his mug. Even the great Captain had problems.

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_I'm still waiting for a few votes on whether or not to write a story about the fuzzy handcuffs Jack knit. I've got four votes for yes. If you don't want to leave a review go to my profile. I've set up a poll for this. Please?_


	3. Chapter 2 Any Problems?

**Author's Rambling:** I lied when I said that I'd write a drabble a week. Only the first chapter was an actual drabble, the last two have gone way over. Anyway, enjoy this week's not quite-drabble!

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Ianto startled awake, staring dazedly at the ceiling of the SUV. He'd fallen asleep on a stake out – again. A quiet clicking told him Jack was still awake and knitting steadily in the driver's seat. Ianto smiled to himself as he thought of the flashing needles and the green yarn that seemed a permanent addition to them lately. Jack still hadn't told him what he was making.

"How's it goin'?" Ianto asked groggily.

"Nothing so far. Go back to sleep. I'll wake you if anything happens."

"What about your knitting? Any more problems?"

Jack snorted, "No. It's fine. Every thing's fine. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

Ianto smiled, closed his eyes, and let the steady clicks lull him back to sleep.

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_Alright, I've got ten votes yes for a fuzzy handcuffs story! I'll write it as soon as I can, but first the smut fairy has to make her rounds. Thanks to those of you who've voted or left reviews for the feed back!_


	4. Chapter 3 Crisis

**Author's Note:** Time for some shameless self promotion! My fuzzy handcuff story is up!! It's called Handcuffs and will have multiple chapters. Hopefully chapter two (and all the good stuff) will be up this weekend.

~*~

Amidst the chaos that was UNIT and Torchwood preparing for the Christmas invasion Jack Harkness was having his own little crisis. It was just two weeks before Christmas and Jack had only managed to knit one large rectangular shape and two identical, smaller pieces. Ianto had a pretty good idea of what Jack was making now, but he didn't want to ruin Jack's thunder.

Now, late at night, waiting for yet another call from some UNIT official, Jack's normally flying needles had slowed to a crawl as he did something that looked very complex. Ianto watched from the corner of his eye as Jack' forehead creased in concentration over the piece of paper resting on the desk in front of him. Several tails of yarn lead from the project to the floor and their bouncing balls.

"Will it be done in time?" Ianto asked suddenly. For a moment, Jack didn't answer, and Ianto waited patiently until he reached the end of row.

"I hope so," Jack sighed, massaging his fingers. "I hope so, Ianto."


	5. Chapter 4 Least Favorite Things

**Author's Note:** So, apparently I'm an "eviiiillll" person because I have too many cliff hangers and you guys can't tell what this is going to be. Well I'm pleased to inform you that it's almost over. This update is the second to last. The next part will posted on Wednesday next week because of the holiday weekend so stay tuned!

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**These Are a Few of My Least Favorite Things**

Ianto was surprised when Jack asked him if he had an iron Jack could borrow. Jack usually took care of his own clothes, and Ianto didn't really know when, where or how. So he reluctantly agreed to bring in his iron.

The next night, after everyone else had left, Ianto watched Jack set himself up with Ianto's iron and an ironing board. It was a strangely disturbing domestic scene, with Jack half bent over the steaming board, wincing every so often as he scorched his fingers.

"This is my least favorite part," Jack said, breaking the silence. "I always like the actual knitting better than blocking or sewing."

"Oh." Ianto didn't know what exactly Jack was talking about, but he sensed the project was almost complete.


	6. Chapter 5 Christmas Part 1

**Author's Note: **Argh, sorry folks! I got distracted by real life. But here it is: the first part of the final chapter. Hope you guys have enjoyed this. I know I did! Final installment goes up Saturday!

*~*

Christmas at Torchwood got lost amid the shuffle of preparation for the Christmas Invasion. Some packages were left on desks, only to be buried by memos from UNIT and lost. Gwen didn't find the big squishy package until 24 December. Her delighted squeals echoed around the Hub, echoing off the water tower and making Myfanwy squawk in protest, which only added to the noise.

"Who made this?" Gwen asked, eyes big as she stroked the dark green jumper. She seemed especially fascinated by the intricate fair isle yolk filled with flowers.

Tosh glanced up from her monitor and shook her head. Owen mumbled something that might have been "not me." Ianto appeared from where ever he always appeared from and denied all knowledge of the thing. Jack couldn't be reached for comment because he was still on the phone with some UNIT big wig.

Then Jack sent out an email that sent everybody home for the holiday and ordered them to stay away bar the end of the world. Tosh and Owen vanished quickly. Gwen walked out, jumper over her arm, babbling happily to Rhys about their plans. Of Ianto, there was no sign.


	7. Chapter 6 Christmas Part 2

**Author's Note:** Happy holidays everyone! I have a present for all of you: what was the last part of the last chapter of the story! This was gonna be the end but I've decided to add another chapter. And it will be the last chapter in this story! I'm hoping Jack the Knitter will another appearance, perhaps on Valentine's day? Any ideas or plot bunnies you might wanna share?

*~*

Later, after Christmas and the sighting of the Titanic, Ianto sprawled on the moldy couch in the Hub. His feet were propped on the coffee table, his tie and jacket were missing, and the top buttons of his shirt were open. Jack appeared with two glasses of whisky and flopped down next to Ianto. They sat silently until Ianto couldn't stand it anymore.

"You made Gwen the sweater." It wasn't a question.

"Yep."

"And you didn't tell her?"

"Hey, I couldn't get General What's-his-name to shut up. That's not my fault," Jack said with a grin.

Ianto raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. They sipped in silence for a while.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

"Ask what?" Ianto knew perfectly well what.

"If I made anything for you."

"I don't beg."

"Oh, really?" Jack raised an eyebrow of his own and grinned.


	8. Chapter 7 Christmas Part 3

**Author's Note: **OK, now it's done! (A little later than I wanted but...) My Christmas countdown drabbles are done. (Though only one chapter was _really_ a drabble lol!) Thank you all for reading and sticking with me this long. Thanks especially to those of you who left a review (or two, or three). Look for more Jack the Knitter coming soon – oh, and the end of _Handcuffs_, the tale of the fuzzy handcuffs mentioned back in the prologue!

~*~

Chapter 7 Christmas Part 3

Sometime later, Ianto wasn't sure how long it had been, Jack flopped down next to him on the bed with a sigh.

"See, I told you you would beg."

Ianto smiled in the dark but didn't answer. Jack waited a moment before making a disgruntled noise and hauling himself up. The footlocker creaked as he opened it, and Ianto heard Jack rummaging noisily its contents. Then something soft landed on his head. Ianto sputtered and pulled it off.

"Jack! What the-"

"If you're going to be a spoil sport and not play along..." The bed dipped as Jack sat down. "Happy Christmas, Ianto."

Ianto rolled over and held the soft thing in the light that came down through the manhole. It was an Aran jumper in wine red, the same color as Ianto's favorite shirt.

"Yours took longer than I thought. That's why I had to rush on Gwen's," Jack explained.

Ianto couldn't help himself. He caught Jack around the back of the neck and gave him a big, sloppy wet kiss. "Happy Christmas."


End file.
